


Marionette

by kiseki_ace



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akuma-ized, Angst gives me life, F/M, im so sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-06 14:21:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5420330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiseki_ace/pseuds/kiseki_ace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette's having a hard day and Hawk Moth decides to take advantage of it. Soon, she's nothing more than a Marionette.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Marinette

**Author's Note:**

> As a trigger warning please note that Marinette goes through a bit of depression in first bit. (Though this is an akumized fic so it's expected.)

It was one of those days. Everything was falling apart and everything was surely to fall under. It was comical, really--what triggered her feelings to bubble over the side. For her to want to run away.

And she hadn’t felt this way since before Tikki had first come to her, either. She hadn’t fallen into the gloom and self-hate, kept at the peripheral of her vision by the kwami’s magic.

Or maybe it was her own self that kept the thoughts at bay. 

Not that it mattered, considering they always came back.

“Marinette, please. It was an accident.” Tikki pleaded with the girl, trying to comfort her shaking form. “It’s hard. But I’m here with you. You can get through this.”

“But I…” Marinette forced her lips to speak. “I can’t do anything right. It’s all a mess. It’s all wrong. I’m useless.”

“You’re not useless. You can fix it, see?” Tikki held the ripped fabric together. “No one will even notice.”

“I can’t do it. I can’t do it.” Marinette repeated. “I can’t.” Her voice cracked. Her body was so hot, so hot and everything was so frustrating and she wanted to scream and--

“There’s hours before the party, Marinette.” Tikki tried once more. “You were gonna be cinderella, right? In this pretty blue dress.”

“I ripped it. The sewing matchine stopped but I kept going and--” Marinette’s voice faltered. “I can’t do anything. I can’t. I wouldn’t’ve been a good cinderella anyway. I’m not good enough.”

Tikki laid on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. A tear escaped her eyes. “Marinette.” Tikki echoed.

“Tikki, don’t you think I’m a hopeless Ladybug?” the girl wondered aloud. “Don’t you think you should find someone better?”

Tikki sat quietly. “Marinette, it doesn’t wor-”

A black butterfly entered the room, headed for Marinette’s ripped dress. The teen jumped, terrified. Hawkmoth had come for her?

“The dress! Marinette, get the dre-!”

“Tikki, transform me!” Marinette cut off the spirit’s words. The butterfly hovered in the air as the kwami swerved, pulled into the jewelry on the teen’s ears.

“No! Marinette! You shouldn’t-!” Tikki began to scream, but suddenly the hexagonal fabric was contouring to Marinette’s body, surely she would be safe, surely the butterfly was too far--

Then the bug was there, landing itself on the opposite earing. The black spots on the superhero’s half-clothed body shivered and swerved, patterning themselves differently than usual. Marinette screamed, pain etching into her body. Everything was so hot, she was burning and burning--

The fabric atop Marinette’s body stretched, forming a tight bodice that lowered to a petti at her waist. Red and black spotted wings sprouted from her back, the yo-yo at her hip reshaping into a sword. 

Marinette’s vision fluttered, the imagine of a man appearing. He was saying something, he was trying to communicate, but all she could think about was how wrong everything felt.

She could feel Tikki’s presence, but there was something else there too. It was trying to incite pain into her heart. Marinette fell to her knees, clutching one eye. She could see the man in her right, not her left. 

“Tikki..” she begged. “Release the transformation… Tikki, please…” 

But it wasn’t going away. She couldn’t become herself again. 

Marinette forced her body to stand, wobbling side to side in heels. “Tikki…” she could hear herself whispering. 

Marinette opened the trapdoor to her balcony, the air whipping through her pigtails. She needed to get help, but everything was falling over--

. . .

Adrien wrapped the bowtie around his neck, checking to see if the white of the shirt matched the white of his neck piece. 

“You look fabulous.” Plagg sighed, floating beside him in a pose as if lying on a couch. “Can we eat now?”

“There’ll be plenty of food at the party, Plagg.” the model sighed. 

“Yeah, for you.” Plagg did a flip. “But I can’t very well show up in a suit and tie and expect to be served.”

“Calm your whining. Lemme just finish with picking out an outfit.” Adrien straightened his bowtie.

Plagg crossed his small arms. “It’s a costume party, not a tuxedo party.”

“I’m gonna be prince charming.”

“That’s not very humble of you.”

Adrien sighed, removing the tie and laying it on his bed. “Ladybug said she’d be there. I want to look handsome.”

“She won’t recognize you. This costume party was sponsored by the mayor, right? Everyone in sight of the Eiffel Tower is invited. How do you even know you’ll recognize her?” Plagg landed on his head.

Adrien clutched his chest dramatically, giving a starstruck sigh. “True love finds a way.”

“That’s creepy.”

“Shut up.”

The teen leaned against his window. “I wonder where Ladybug is now. I wonder if she thinks of me without the mask.”

“I sincerely doubt it.”

“Stop being such a killjoy, Plagg.” Adrien sighed. “I know. Let’s go out for a bit. Patrol a bit before the party.”

“I don’t really wan-”

“Plagg, transform me!” the teen fist punched the air, and the spirit struggled to fight the vacuum from pulling him into the ring. With a sigh, the kwami gave up and the two formed Chat Noir.

. . .

Chat Noir jumped from Paris roof to Paris roof, people watching. Maybe one of them was Ladybug, preparing for the party--no, the ball--like a princess. 

Maybe she was waiting to be met by a beautiful stranger, a model-like blonde who would sweep her off her feet, kiss her as the clock struck twelve.

Chat Noir hugged himself. If only. 

In truth, he knew the possibility of him meeting Ladybug as Adrien was incredibly slim. And to kiss her at midnight? Sounded like some sort of bad romance.

Even so, he kind of wished for it at the bottom of his heart.

“Ladybug, O Ladybug, Where art thou Ladybug?” Chat quoted, thrusting out his arms to embrace the sunsetting sky. He smiled at his own idiocy.

“Chat Noir.” a voice approached him from behind. He turned to gaze at the stranger.

Her feet clad black heels, tights scaling up her thighs under a large, thick ruby skirt. Black gloves laced her fingers, a collar around her neck to match. And up her torso she was spotted, delicate wings flowing from her shoulders.

A pink blush fluttered across her cheeks and nose.

Something was wrong.

“Ladybug?” he spoke cautiously. She smiled at him. “What- Why are you-”

And then she was upon him, pressing her forearm into his neck. He struggled against her hold, hands caught in the seemingly never-ending fabric of her skirt. 

“Give me your Miraculous! Chat Noir!” her voice cracked. Fear flashed through her eyes, and her hands lightened.

The girl screamed, falling to her knees and tearing at the mask on her face. Chat Noir jumped to his feet, wielding his staff. 

“Kitty, something’s wrong-” her voice cracked. “I can’t- Everything hurts-”

“Kitty?” Chat mouthed. It was her, it was his Lady. But the outfit--

Ladybug launched herself on top of Chat, pressing him to the roof and knocking away his staff. She wrenched her hands around his throat. 

“Hand over your Miraculous!” Ladybug screamed. 

In a burst of strength, Chat threw her across the room. Scuffing dust under her feet as she landed, Ladybug glared at him as he coughed and collapsed to his knees, holding his throat. 

“Lady- My Lady…” He begged. “Please.” Chat Noir choked. Pain flashed across his eyes as she slammed him into a wall and bent his arm against the joint. A sound of cracking echoed into the air.

And then suddenly she let go. He spun to see her clutching her right eye, the left furrowed in horror. 

“La-” he called out to her as she spun on her heels and ran. “Lady-”

Chat Noir fell to his knees and clutched his arm to his chest. 

. . .

“Ladybug. You came. You listened to my summons.” the man spoke. A sneer spread across his lips, a glimmer in his dark eyes. Black and purple butterflies scattered around him.

The superhero in question collapsed against a wall, warily glaring at him as she clutched her right eye. “Let me go, Hawkmoth. Release this akuma.” She commanded. “I refuse to fight for you.”

“You seemed to be just fine with it a bit ago when you broke Chat Noir’s arm.”

Ladybug clutched herself, her chest aching. “I didn’t mean- I just-”

“Now, now.” he approached her. 

“I won’t fight for you. Release this akuma.” she forced herself to stand.

“Get me Chat Noir’s Miraculous, and I will.”

“No.”

Hawkmoth smirked. “Then, find me his identity.” Ladybug lifted her head to meet his gaze. “If you promise to find the boy behind the mask, I’ll release the akuma. I already know who you are, Marinette.”

Ladybug turned her head in distaste. He must have figured out when she transformed. “Why would I do that?”

“If not, I’ll just make you kill him.” 

A butterfly-like shape appeared around his eyes, and pink hinted her vision. Pain erupted through her body as he forced her to stand in front of him. 

“You’re my puppet now, Marinette. You will find Chat Noir’s secret identity, whether you like it or not.”

Hawkmoth released his grasp on her body, and Marinette felt a tear slip down her cheek. Hawkmoth spun his cane, clicking it on the ground. 

He grinned. “My name is Hawkmoth, and your name is now Marionette.”

The window ahead of the two closed, and the accomplices were left in the darkness.


	2. Marionette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a Marionette, Ladybug has no choice but to follow Hawkmoth's orders--even if that means fighting her partner.

“Adrien. Adrien, wake up.” 

Someone jabbed the teen’s shoulder, and he lifted his head. Adrien rubbed his eyes, dazed after his nap. The teacher was packing up. It was lunchtime.

“Ow, dude.” Nino spoke once more, warding off Adrien’s bulky cast. The superhero sighed, and leaned back over the desk. Nino poked his shoulder again.

“Man, what’s up? First you won’t tell me how you broke your arm, now you’re falling asleep in class? C’mon, spill. You’re my best bro. You can trust me, man.” Nino tried to persuade him.

“I was up late last night. And about my cast, as I told you before, I fell.” Adrien grumbled. Nino rolled his eyes.

“What, off a cliff?”

Adrien elbowed him with the cast again. Nino stifled a laugh. 

“Listen, bro, with that neon green arm you can’t model, right?”

“Mn?”

Nino jerked a thumb backwards. “Alya and I are hanging out tonight. Wanna come?”

“Ew, and third-wheel with you two?”

Nino flashed a blush. “We’re not like that.” he mumbled. 

“Yet.” Adrien added, then sighed. “Fine, I’ll come. But only if someone else comes too. I’m not gonna spend my time watching you two make googly eyes at each other.”

“Oh no, wouldn’t want to waste your time.” Nino teased, turning around to face Alya. “Yo, Adrien’s been down so I invited him out with us. Know anyone else who’d wanna hang too?”

Alya tucked a pencil behind her ear, a grin growing on her face. She turned to face the girl beside her, a girl whom Adrien knew only by her name and stuttering. The girl was staring out the window, dazed.

“Marinette, come hang with us tonight.” Alya poked the girl. She jolted back into reality. Alya furrowed her eyebrows. “Girl, everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s all good. Sorry. I’ve gotta go.” Marinette tucked her books into her backpack. “Sorry.” she repeated. 

“Wait, can you hang out tonight?” Adrien grabbed the girl’s hand. She froze. Their eyes locked. 

“What? I, um, well, uh, I can, but, like…” Marinette voice cracked. Her face was becoming red. Adrien dropped his hand.

“No! Sorry. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I do!” she began instantly. “I’m just a bit busy with… chores… But I’ll get out of them! I’ll be there!”

Marinette nodded at Alya. Alya winked. Marinette’s face flushed.

. . .

“Ah, Marionette. You’re early.” Hawkmoth didn’t turn to face her. She furrowed her brows. 

“I’m gonna try to lure Chat Noir out now, instead of later.”

“Why now?”

“That’s my business.” 

Hawkmoth rubbed his chin, thinking. “It’s been two weeks. Maybe a change of pace is better.”

Marinette turned her back to him. “Tikki.” She whispered. The kwami appeared beside her, wearing a solemn expression. 

“Marinette, please. Don’t do this.”

“Tikki, Chat can’t protect himself without me. If Hawkmoth were to kill me, he’d surely kill Chat next too. This way, maybe, he’ll spare both our lives.”

“At the cost of your miraculous’s? At the cost of your kwami? At the cost of me?” Tikki pleaded. 

“It’s not my fault you chose the wrong person to be Ladybug.” Marinette avoided Tikki’s gaze. “Tikki, Transform me.” she spoke.

Tikki lowered her head. “You aren’t wrong, though.” she whispered before swirling into Marinette’s earring.

A pain erupted through Marinette’s body, vastly different from the blissful lull her transformation used to be. Before, she could feel herself growing stronger. Now, she simply was being devoured by the darkness erupting from the akuma in her right earring.

“I’ll never get used to this.” Marionette spoke to herself, glancing down at her hands. She was now inverted, the fabric black with red spots instead of vise versa.

“Marionette, look.” Hawkmoth folded his hands behind his back. He pointed his eyes to the window, and the girl followed his gaze to the grand opening of a cafe. 

“Yes, Hawkmoth.” She spoke softly.  
. . .

“Plagg, Transform me!” Adrien called, hearing screams in the city. Plagg sighed, entering the teen’s ring. As usual, Adrien flinched when the transformation overtook his cast, reforming the bone to be usable--however insanely painful. 

Cat Noir bolted out the window into the streets. It had been like this everyday since that night. She would appear, making ruckus in an inverted suit in the city. And he would call out to her, and then--

“Ladybug!” he shouted to her, seeing her overturning the festive decorations of some cafe. “My Lady, please.” Chat Noir begged. 

Her blue eyes traced his outline, stopping, like always, at the arm she broke. And then, she bolted into an alley.

“Ladybug!” He chased her.

Turning the corner, he was apprehended and slammed into a wall. A sound of pain escaped his lips, and he groaned under Marionette’s weight. 

“My Lady.” Chat Noir struggled against her grip. Marionette reached to his hand, trying to remove his miraculous. The teen caught her eyes, so blue and so full of pain--

Clenching his hand into a fist, he knocked her to the ground, straddling her waist and pinning her arms above her head. “Please, talk to me, Ladybug. What’s wrong with you?” the superhero spoke once more. She retched her head away, presenting the butterfly-shaped earring to him. 

“Wait, what’s that?” He shifted his body to lean closer. 

Marionette flinched in pain and Chat Noir lightened his grip on impulse. She kicked his torso and he rammed into the building, and once more she began to reach for his hand. 

Without a thought, Chat Noir shielded himself with his injured arm. As Marionette came in contact with the bone, he screamed in pain, collapsing to his knees. 

“K-Kitty!?” She kneeled beside him, gripping his shoulders. Her voice cracked in horror. “Wha-What’s wrong? Chat?”

Holding back his pain, Chat Noir launched himself on top of the girl and restrained her arms. Flinching at the pressure on his arm, Chat forced himself to speak, “So, you can talk.” He blinked back tears. “My Lady, what’s wrong? Can’t I help you?” his voice shivered.

“Give me your miraculous.”

“Ladybug, please.” Chat Noir pushed her hands together and held them with a single hand, using his spare to push aside her hair to reveal the strange earring. “Has it something to do with this?” 

Fear flashed through the sea of her pupils. “Chat-”

“Then, if I were to take it off, would you come back to me?” The superhero lightly squeezed the lobe of her ear with two fingers. She flinched and struggled under his hands. 

“If you did that, I would change back.” her voice echoed in the empty air. 

Chat Noir caught her eyes pleading him. So much emotion was pressed into those pupils, so much suffering and pain. 

“Isn’t it worth it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super lazy so I didn't check for spelling mistakes, and I'm really sorry.
> 
> Even so, I hope you enjoyed this! 
> 
> (coughs I sure did)

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to tumblr user aguildof-dragons-and-stars cause they messaged me for this fic and bounced ideas with me and also they draw so go check them out
> 
> Also im so sorry


End file.
